Patios are a great addition to any garden; they're a low-maintenance space perfect for outdoor dining and for home to pots. However, when you're lacking space, they can quickly look rather busy and compact.
Whilst there are ways to make your small patio feel bigger with exterior lighting, if you enjoy using the space throughout the day, you may need other ways to open it up. It's all too easy for patios to become cluttered with patio container plants, and this can make a limited space look even smaller.
If this sounds familiar to you, then garden legend Alan Titchmarsh has a genius small garden tip to help make your patio appear and feel bigger than it actually is. All with one garden design change.
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Whether you use your patio as an outdoor living room area or grow your favourite veggies in pots on it, sometimes it can look cramped.
Especially when you're already starting with a small space to work with, which is why Alan suggests trying this one trick before you've even laid your paving stones.
"The size of the pavers you choose should depend on the overall size of the patio or terrace. If it's very small, don't be tempted to use lots of small ones, which will make it look bitty," Alan starts.
"A common mistake is using lots of small pavers in a compact space, which creates a busy look and can make the area seem even smaller," he adds.
It's easy to avoid this common mistake that makes your garden feel smaller, but it does require choosing the right slabs before you build your patio. This might seem like a big job, but it'll make a world of difference in your garden.
"A few larger paving stones in a smaller area will give it the impression of more space than is actually there. It works the other way around, lots of little ones tend to make something look small," Alan explains.
"Several smaller number of larger ones tend to expand it. Matching the paver size to the space will help create a balanced, elegant design that feels both practical and visually spacious," he finishes.
Tricks like these that help make your small garden look bigger are so important to ensure you're making the most of the space you have and utilising every square inch of it.
If you want some more magic Alan guidance on patios, he also shared his tips for brightening up an otherwise dull, dingy patio.
